Gone

I walked up to a crosswalk next to a woman that reminded me of my mom when I was a kid. She was wearing the same time of jeans and tennis shoes. I followed her as she kept her hands in her sweatshirt. I thought about my mom’s fashion over the years and how it hasn’t changed. This woman's hair even matched the mom's of the 90's. Then I thought about moms now. I wondered if they would stop changing their fashion after a certain point, too. Would I? I thought about my own insecurities when I see other’s fashions and compare it to my own. Wondering if that’s also how people feel when they see me. 

I bought my tea and got my laptop ready to work on a project. I sat near her and her friend. Sipping and typing in silence. Then her friend asked, “Did you lose all your hair?”

“Well at first when it grew back, it was really curly and I loved it. Now it’s back to normal again. Oh well.” They laughed. She had cancer and finished recently finished her chemo. 

Then I was reminded. None of it matters. The cut of our hair or the style we wear. What matters is time. Moments like these. Before they’re gone.